Oxford United Club Secretary Mick Brown has been recognised by the EFL for his amazing service not just to the club but to football.
Mick was presented with the an EFL Long Service Award at their annual conference last week, marking 40 years with the U’s.
A fan long before he joined the club in 1982, MIck originally set up the London Road Club to provide coaches for fans to away games and from there became part of the commercial team at the Manor, just as Jim Smith’s team rose from the old Third Division to the top flight.
He has done every job imaginable at the club - running the ticket office, editing the matchday programme and since 1989 been Club Secretary, taking over from his mentor Jim Hunt who had performed the role for 18 years. It’s remarkable for a club to only have two secretaries in 50 years.
Managing Director Niall McWilliams said
“Without Mick there would be no club. He has seen everything but hates the limelight. He remains first in to the club offices each day and the last to leave. This season the backroom staff were asked to vote for an ‘unsung hero’ and Mick was the unanimous winner. It is great that the EFL recognise the outstanding work he continues to do on our behalf.”
Communications Manager Chris Williams added:
“Mick is the one that other secretaries go to for help and advice; not just in the EFL but at all levels of the game. Typically, he received the award last week and never told any of us! But people should know the high regard he is held in not just by everyone at the club but also by everyone at the EFL.”